Actions in Worship

Our  Christian forebears used a silent language of signs and gestures,  intended as aids in devotion, to actively integrate the body and mind to  create a unity which focus ion the celebration of the Great Paschal  Mystery.

Gestures
Our gestures come from tradition. The gestures we use vary from church to church. You are most likely to notice them when you visit a new place and realize it isn’t the same as the place you came from.   It is not about  is encouraged to worship in the way they fell connected to the divine. It is not about “matching” others.

The  traditional gestures and postures in liturgy include: 1) Orans, lifting  hands in prayer; 2) sign of the cross, made especially with the right  thumb on the forehead or with the right hand on the forehead, chest, and  shoulders; 3) standing for praise and kneeling for confession; 4)  bowing in reverence; 5) genuflection, or bending the knee, in reverence;  6) passing the peace, sign of greeting and reconciliation; 7) elevation  of the elements, offering them to God or showing them to the people; 8)  extending the hands in greeting, as at "The Lord be with you"; 9)  laying on of hands (or extending them over persons), a sign of blessing  and authorization, as in Baptism, Confirmation, Ordination, and other  sacramental acts. 

Genuflection, or Genuflexion 

“Genuflection” comes from two Latin words: genu “knee” and flectere “to bend” or “flex.”
A  gesture of reverence in worship. It involves touching a knee briefly to  the floor while holding the upper body upright, and then returning to a  standing position. It is not required anyplace in the Prayer Book. In  some parishes it is a customary gesture of reverence for Christ's  presence in the consecrated eucharistic elements of bread and wine. In  this case the genuflection is made in the direction of the reserve  sacrament.

Genuflections.  Genuflections may be seen as people enter or leave a church, or the  seating area of a church, or the vicinity of a tabernacle (aumbry) where  the Sacrament is reserved. The celebrant and assisting ministers may  genuflect at the end of the eucharistic prayer or after the words of  institution concerning each element in the eucharistic prayer. 

Genuflecting  on the right knee, is the appropriate way to respect Christ, God or the  sacrament. Genuflecting on the left knee, is the gesture of a knight to  his King, of a military member presenting a flag to a family at a  funeral or any other form of respect for a person.  

Some prefer the profound bow as a more ancient gesture of reverence in worship. 

Kneel (or Stand)

A  traditional posture of prayer is when your weight rests on the knees.  The pews of many churches have "kneelers" or cushions to protect the  knees of those who kneel for prayer. Kneeling to pray may express  penitence, supplication, and humility. Depending on local custom and  personal piety, some worshipers choose to kneel one or more places  during worship 1) to offer private prayer, 2) during the prayers of the  people, 3) while saying the general confession and receiving absolution,  4) during the Great Thanksgiving, 5) to receive communion at the altar  rail, 6) during the prayer of thanksgiving after communion, and 7) to  receive the blessing.

When  the BCP was revised in the 1970s parishioners were invited to follow  the ancient practice of the church, when the congregation stood for  prayer during portions of the service when kneeling had been customary.  Standing for the eucharistic prayer emphasizes the eucharist to be a  celebration in community rather than an expression of penitence by  individuals.

In the BCP there are places where a recommended change in posture is indicated saying (in italics) standing, (pg 358), sit (pg 357)  Stand or kneel, (pg 362),  Kneeling (pg 41 & 79). If there are two options, the first is preferred. Note: There is no recommended change in posture between the Nicene Creed and the Prayers of the people. There is a direction to stand following the confession (for those who did not remain standing).

Laying on of Hands

A  significant ritual action in several sacramental rites. It is an  external sign of the bestowal of God's grace through the prayer or the  ministry of the one laying on hands, whether for spiritual growth or  ministry or forgiveness or healing. It is the action which accompanies  the prayer of consecration in ordination rites. It is a prominent action  in the Ministration to the Sick. It accompanies the baptismal signing  with the cross, and the pronouncing of the priestly absolution in the  Reconciliation of Penitents. It may also accompany the nuptial blessing  or other blessings. The term may be used as a synonym for confirmation. 

Orans Position 

The  traditional posture of early Christian prayer involved one standing  with the arms raised and extended like the letter "Y" with the palms  uplifted. In the early church the entire congregation prayed in this  position. Today, except it is usually only the presider who uses the  orans position for prayer. The position may be modified by bending the  elbows so the hands are approximately at eye level. 

Sign of the Cross 

This  ancient Christian gesture traces the cross on oneself, on objects, or  other people. Depending on the context, the gesture may express personal  Christian devotion or identity, blessing, absolution, consecration to  holy use, or the conclusion of something done to the honor of God. The  sign of the cross may be traced with a hand, as when the sign of the  cross is made over something , for example a priest will make the sign  of the cross over the bread and wine during Holy Eucharist. A  person make the sign of the cross by moving their hand from forehead to  lower chest and from left shoulder to the right shoulder.  In the Christian west, this gesture customarily moves from left to right. In  the Christian east this gesture moves from right to left. Signing of  the forehead alone, or of the forehead, lips, and heart at the gospel  during the service of Holy Eucharist, is customarily done with the  thumb. The sign of the cross is a customary gesture. For example, it may  be used at the beginning or ending of one of the Daily Offices, at the  reading of the gospel in the eucharist, or at the absolution following  the confession in the eucharist.  Although use of the sign of the cross  is widespread throughout the Episcopal Church by celebrants, officiants,  and parishioners, its use is typically a matter of custom and personal  piety. The BCP does not require the gesture to be made by members of the  congregation at any time. 

Peace 

A  liturgical exchange of greeting through word and gesture. It is a sign  of reconciliation, love, and renewed relationships in the Christian  community. It is initiated by the celebrant, who says, "The peace of the  Lord be always with you." The people respond, "And also with you." The  ministers and people may greet one another in the name of the Lord (BCP,  pp. 332, 360). Any appropriate words of greeting may be used in the  exchange of peace that follows between individuals (BCP, p. 407). The  gesture of greeting has been expressed in a variety of ways, an embrace,  a handclasp, or a nod or bow. Historically the peace was known as the  kiss of peace including a kiss on the cheek, and the Pax (from the  Latin, "peace").

Pray 

The  experience of corporate or individual nearness with God, through words,  acts, or silence. Any act or activity offered to God in a spirit of  dedication may be prayerful. This nearness may take the form of  addressing God, as in prayers of adoration, confession, thanksgiving,  and supplication (ACTS); or the form of listening, as in contemplative  and meditative prayer. Both forms assume a relationship between God and  the one who prays. Prayer is the opening of the direct relationship  between God and humanity.

Meditate

The  practice, usually in silence, of fixing attention on a specific word,  phrase, image, sound, or text. Some meditative practices produce an  emptying of thoughts and emotions. Meditation may lead to an experience  of union between the one who meditates and the object of meditation.  Meditation practices are known in most of the major religious traditions  of the world. Meditation is a mainstay in the prayer life of many  Episcopalians.

Respond

A  liturgical answer or statement that responds to a prayer, bidding, or  reading. The response may be paired with and follow a versicle. For  example, Suffrages A and B in Morning Prayer each contain a series of  versicles and responses (BCP, pp. 97-98). The initial letter "R"  indicates the responses in these suffrages and in other pairs of  versicles and responses (see, e.g., BCP, p. 569). Noonday Office and  Evening Prayer begin with the versicle, "O God, make speed to save us,"  and the response, "O Lord, make haste to help us" (BCP, pp. 103, 117).  This versicle and response, which is based on Ps 70:1, also follows the  confession of sin at the beginning of Compline (BCP, p. 128).

The  readings from scripture at Noonday Office and Compline are followed by  the people's response, "Thanks be to God." After each lesson at Morning  Prayer, Evening Prayer, and the eucharist, the reader may say, "The Word  of the Lord," and the people answer, "Thanks be to God." The reader may  also say, "Here ends the Lesson (or reading)," to which no verbal  response is made by the people. After the deacon or priest announces the  gospel at the eucharist, the people answer, "Glory to you, Lord  Christ." After the gospel is read or sung, the reader says, "The Gospel  of the Lord," and the people answer, "Praise to you, Lord Christ." The  customary responses before and after the gospel are omitted on Palm  Sunday and Good Friday (BCP, pp. 272, 277). 

Intercessions  and other prayers may also have a response. For example, the biddings  of the prayers of the people, Form V, are followed by the people's  response, "Lord, have mercy" (BCP, p. 389). At the Ordination of a  Bishop, the people respond to questions by the Presiding Bishop,  answering that it is their will that the bishop-elect be ordained a  bishop and that they will uphold the bishop-elect as bishop (BCP, p.  514). 

In  addition to fixed liturgical responses, there are also occasions when a  response may be a personal statement. A response to the scripture  readings may follow the gospel at a Marriage (BCP, p. 426). Responses  may be made to the sermon at a Celebration of New Ministry (BCP, p.  560). At the Dedication and Consecration of a Church, the bishop may  respond to the plans of the congregation for witness to the gospel by  indicating the place of the congregation within the life of the diocese  (BCP, p. 576).